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2/13/2014 12:56PM

What If You Were Stranded on Mars?

What if you were the last person on Mars? That’s the dizzying premise of Andy Weir’s meticulously researched debut novel, “The Martian.” WSJ's Alexandra Alter joins Lunch Break with more details. Photo: Crown.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... what if you are the last person on my list that's the famous up and the winners debut novel the Martian ... a NASA astronaut stopped on the surface of Mars and we're takes readers through a journey that WS J reported Alexandra alter was fascinated enough to write about ... she's here to discuss this novel and the buzz that its team ... of really good time storyline yes it's really the thing and I was so interesting about this novel and found it through is afraid his first novel and ... and is a computer for diversity brings a lot of scientific knowledge to bear the story ... every ten as the calculation that this that's when I have to do to figure out how to know ... basically manufacture water using rocket fuel in ... the until anyone see the calculation to figure it out since among the guests are rival banks have learned from the Nanny's the self publishing and he didn't have a traditional publisher ... and done it sold so on Amazon that movie studios are unjust and publishers reduced sentence announced coming out this week from Crown ... and Dom box option different found ... I'm sure you've written a lot of alot about quilts in this town the what made you really wanna write about this ... well I with the meantime the fact that he had done so much of the research I mean he built his own ... um can care for them he did he built software to figure out how quickly a kid and this particular type of engine to get the astronauts to Mars ... and it was was was really gripping and in any time there's a certain survival story and yet it intrigues ... anyone found in this assigning this uncle far fetched but in a given that we have ... for resigned Marzen NASA's actually looked into the new manned missions ... it actually think and the path you could have a mission to Mars ... one person yesterday when they have to evacuate and is presumed to be dead and in yet to figure out coming to survive and Anthony back for four years and we have printed it with a year so ... the thing is about it's it's it's it's fun to read about it served the industry buzz around this both the inside is a lot of attention it's coming out in twenty one countries so there's like a big price sensitive ... James attended an international hit and and and I think with the movie ended at a party ... atmosphere down and they're sending its assertive big name people so I'll baffling ... aam provides an excitement to know what really fascinates me about this person has his death or injury ... he's a computer programmer as he said he's a former Dean designer for blizzard Entertainment ... it sounds like his background really helps him ... in his right yes I mean he is staying premiering confusing is nine years old for fun he thought and felt the proper Neri heaved with no deal offence and that the particle fitness as ... unique as internships it physics labs and he was the nail in its Kinsella ... aam is when you know whenever there's a science question he told me that that started hiking up the story ... on thinking and three the scientific figure out how and how would you survive if this happen if this happens ... a lot of one of that she found challenges that this astronaut faces is filling feeling that if he knows so much until a time before it gets me for years before anyone comes at present he happens to be a botanist ... he takes an anti anti jet CityVille Hughes' margins so ill he had all these like traits that make them ... this would seem to have blockbuster producer do you think this film would be ... awfully narrow it so it's Friday I find options that argument cereal the UN was something like this and they and you know movies Lake in and Gravity doing so well I think there's absolutely interest in another ten of ... the science fiction blockbuster so aam it in looking in a ... leaky can happen ... alright will think so I think they have a new forward to the reading and think you and ...